Lessons of a Tightwad
by james2131
Summary: Uzumaki Naruko lived a childhood of poverty, making her go as far as living in another village just for food and school. When Sandaime found out her living situation, he was livid, and raised Civilian Taxes on sky-high and other laws bordering on Dictatorship while the shinobi are somewhat normal...yes, somewhat. Sandaime has had enough. (DISCONTINUED)
1. Grandpa is Pissed

'Naruko, why did my patrolling ANBU find you leaving the village miles away from home?' Sandaime cried. 'No-good men outside who'd possibly sell you to slavery or sell your organs or dangerous animals mauling and killing you...'

'That's no different in this village for me. I get mauled at by people calling me names and the Orphanage Witch tossed me out last month.' Sandaime did a double-take. 'I get money from you from Weasel-nii but shops charge too much to just me yet to everyone else the price is cheap. That, or they throw me out. So I thought I'd go for shops outside Konoha and their shops are loads cheaper than here I always get lots to eat before I shop again. But I have to live in an abandoned building since I can't rent a place.'

'I-is that so...?' the ANBU and Naruko saw the Hokage slowly turning purple in anger. 'Fukurou...kindly build Naruko-chan a house just for her in a safe place away from the villagers and we'll deal with the furniture and other needs straight off Village Coffers. I'll hold a meeting and other things...and its time they remember I'm the Hokage and I'm backed by the laws our forefathers created! And Weasel, this clearly happens for quite a long while now...' he said as Weasel, a small ANBU took out a pair of earmuffs and placed it on the little girl's ears before speaking.

'I have no excuse as I did it for her own good Hokage-sama. You cannot trust almost everyone in this village when it comes to her.' said the smallest ANBU stiffly. 'In her new place, she can freely attend school and do her best without sabotage that she has good education. Shop for needs without criminal overpricing, and live in a decent apartment without highway robbery rent. The only bad thing is due to being a Konoha Citizen she's dragged back here I recommend that until she's at least ten, she live there so she can grow up properly and be educated properly with enough kanji know-how to understand Shinobi Lessons.'

'Now I'm angry...hearing that from you just makes me angrier.' Sandaime pinched his nose. 'That does it. People breaking my law behind my back to make a little girl pay for a crime her prisoner has done...is what's criminal. Can I even trust the Academy not to sabotage her Kunoichi Lessons?! Wait, bring me the damn curriculum! I know we changed it lately due to times of peace but...!' he grunted. 'For now, take Naru-chan back to where you found her until we deal with numerous problems done behind my successor's last wishes.'

Weasel removed the earmuffs.

'Naru-chan, until you're ten years old you can stay there but you'll have to have a bodyguard alright? I'm choosing Weasel and Fukurou for the job but they'll have to be distant to keep bad guys away from you.'

'Huh? Oh, OK.' Naruko beamed. 'Not having to live here is cool Jijii! I'm away from mean people and a highly-pricy village!'

Sandaime sighed a long-suffering sigh.

xxx

'Nee, why did I have to wear earmuffs back there?' Naruko asked her two bodyguards as they left Konoha.

'Well, it's because some things are no good for innocent ears to hear.' said Weasel kindly. 'Hokage-sama's angry after hearing how you have had it unfair for so long. For now, you'll live in your new home for about three more years.'

'OK. But can I learn cool ninja tricks so incase there's plenty food in the river I can catch it there instead of going to the market?'

And thus, while Naruko enjoyed privileges normal children should have had, but denied from her unfairly, a pissed-off Hokage made life in Konoha harder in turn...for people who disobeyed his laws behind his back...and Weasel and Fukurou were the last to know years later...

And when the Uchiha Massacre happened, its Uchiha Shisui who was the killer...and Weasel only found out when Shisui came, tossed him a scroll and quickly fled.

He was horrified that he rushed home, leaving Fukurou alone with Naruko who was teaching her 'Survival and Camping' jutsus while making her do chakra training.

But even then, being a cheapskate is ingrained hard in Naruko because of how she was treated in Konoha.

Two days later...

'Naruko, today we'll have a new friend joining us. His name is Sasuke.' said Weasel. 'I hope you'll be kind to him.'

'Well, I don't remember him bullying me back in Konoha so I guess its OK.'

'Huh? Bullying you? You used to live in Konoha?' Sasuke blurted incredulously.

'Un. Most kids back in Konoha are horrible.' Naruko scowled. 'I never did a thing to them yet they single me out because their parents said 'its OK'!' she griped. 'If that's manly standard these days I'll never marry!' she huffed. Behind their masks, the ANBU winced.

The truth was, parents fed their kids lies so they have an excuse to make their children bully and shun Naruko without breaking 'that law'.

While Naruko showed Sasuke around...

'Fukurou-san, how are things while I was gone?'

'...she's an incredible miser and a cheapskate.' said Fukurou. 'The only good thing about it is that she eats healthy. But I have to do the cooking following recipe books though. It'll take an effort to even convince her to eat a plate of curry in a restaurant worth 756 ryo...I tried and she flipped, ranting how that one meal can instead, buy a couple packs of 1k vegetables to last a whole day. She's also not willing to spend money on rice as those 10kg packs cost 3000 ryo and there's no lesser kgs sold in any market as we adults know. She'd catch fish off the river if she can help it I had to do it or she'll drown...' he shook his head. 'Good grief. Being a budgeting tightlacer is the only good thing that came out of her situation.'

'I suppose...just that, where'd she get all these ideas anyway?'

'From some books she found in the library. I looked into the background, the author was just as miser-ably cheap. As long as they live here until 10 years old, we won't be seeing the usual stuff we eat for a loooong time.'

'...'


	2. Tight Living

Sasuke found his new living situation weird.

One, because of...that...his brother took him to a civilian village just to be away from Konoha until the fires of his cousin's deed dies down in the village.

While going to civilian school for a couple years, his brother and his colleague trains him and his flatmate Uzumaki Naruko.

Thankfully she's NOT one of his groupies, and is normal by standards...just that, she's an extremely tight tightwad looking for the cheapest prices possible, and only buying by the bulk when food is in season...and by 'evening prices' in fresh goods. The only time to convince her to buy rice is in autumn when they needed to gain weight for winter(what an animal mindset). But compared to other countries, Land of Fire's winter is just 'chilly', not the 'frigid, biting cold' northerners are used to.

However, eating fiber-rich veggies, as well as eggs-on-hot rice and fish make them full a bit longer before going hungry again...and in physical and chakra training as well as getting them used to basic punches and kicks in preparation for their future Konoha Academy Lessons.

Due to living with her, Sasuke learned how to budget.

Fresh goods are half-price at night, full-price by day for fish and other seafood. With the invention of sealing scrolls, it keeps food fresher than a fridge could for several weeks on end, and it saves on Electricity by 50%! a 950-ryo pack-of-three fish steaks could be 475 ryo at around 9 pm as such example. Freshwater fish in season or spawning fish that die afterward is immediately harvested and stored in scrolls just so they don't have to buy off a market.

Suggesting to eat in a Restaurant is a surefire way to make Naruko flip her lid in outrage. The only time she makes an exception at 'spending extravagantly' is if its their birthdays. But she would still cringe at the prices and reluctantly eat even if its delicious.

While she lets Itachi do their shopping on miscellaneous, she does her own. Her reign on money is only at food. Not everything else. Her clothes and shoes were bought in second-hand shops that are still in good condition.

Well, in food budget they saved up on money alright...

But when they were ten, the ANBU finally allowed them to cook on the stoves...when they return home to Konoha.

In Konoha where Naruko lives in a veeery isolated place...

'Uwaaaa! What a cute house!' Naruko squealed as Fukurou built her a two-floored house near a river with an irrigation system with a wooden river block, and dug trench that leads to a small pool. Indeed, Fukurou built a cute house for her.

'Well, thanks to a jutsu I could make instant houses since I'm not a carpenter you know. And its all wood, no concrete or clay tiles.' said Fukurou. 'Hokage-sama paid for the furnishing too, but its impossible to install electricity or plumbing here so you'll be relying on oil lamps for lighting and this irrigation system I built for water. Just that you'll be doing your laundry and bath outside. As for gas, its a stove that takes gas from gas tanks that can last a year since its only you living in here.' he explained. 'As for the no-grass grounds, you might want to garden with no pesky weeds in the way.'

'Alright!' Naruko squealed happily. 'Thanks a lot Fukurou!'

'Call me through Hokage-sama if there's maintenance troubles alright?'

'Alright~!'

xxx

'So she's finally returned home though understandably, no love for our people...obviously.' Sandaime mused as Fukurou reported to him. 'How is she?'

'No thanks to merchants here and finding books written by an extreme tightwad in the public library, she took being a cheapskate to the extreme and its all in there.' said Fukurou, putting a scroll on his boss' desk. 'She also discovered how to cheat with electricity through Storage Scrolls so we don't have to use a fridge. Keeping the fridge on is mostly 80 to 90% of our electricity bill...her words not mine when its a bit less than that.' he snorted. 'Not sure of a fridge's actual percentage of an electric bill's cost though. Not only that, Sealing stuff in scrolls maintain their freshness since there's apparently no time passing in a jutsu scroll. We experimented and checked, and a salmon we stuffed in there for six months stayed the same on the day we plucked it off the river post-spawning. It never spoiled.'

'Now that's an idea.' Sandaime chuckled in amusement.

'You wouldn't believe her level of cheapskateness...and since she's never known the comforts of air conditioning and a heater, she's too used to living without it so her living with no electricity is just fine. Gas and water are essentials though but she'll do her dang best to get cheaper if she could.'

'Oh dear...'

'Well, thanks to that she has big savings...incase of a hospital bill but even then she'll go to outside hospitals rather than risk getting overcharged here...'

The old Hokage twitched before smirking.

'Ohhh rest assured that she won't have such worries here.' he said. 'You and that boy are new to this...new Konoha I changed through hard-ass new policies. Remember that tattoo I had you get?'

'Yes?'

'Ticket to getting fair prices in the markets who passed the T&I. Those who don't have any, gets the price hike treatment. I now control the Merchant Guild and changed the management by force, and controlling the amount of products sold to ensure only their family benefits, not being made to buy-by-proxy by the inkless. I also changed the Academy and the Hospital...no worries.'

Fukurou found himself shivering at the man's unnerving smile. If price hikes were the punishment of those who overcharged Naruko, he wondered what else did the man do...he'd have to ask around.

xxx

Itachi was way ahead by using his Sharingan and asking questions before wincing.

Hokage-sama sure pulled everything roughly, running a dictatorship. Clearly no more Mr. Nice Guy...on the civilians who had no 'Merchant Approval Seal'. Many civilians appealed, only to be denied each time and doors slammed shut.

The hospital personnel changed considerably. And Tsunade-sama was called back to train 'approved medic candidates' who would not deny a patient regardless of financial issues. Any medic who did so, will be taken into questioning and their sentence will depend on their answer.

Then there's the Academy.

His old teachers gone, replaced with new people at that, and curriculum changed that Academy Students have really rough physical and survival training, and more physical as of three years ago. Chakra Training only began when actual Shinobi Lessons started upon a student's fourth year in the Academy. Discipline was stricter as well that anyone who doesn't take things seriously are 'talked to' and depending on the student's answer, they're either reprimanded with a warning or expelled. Those who feel ill are excused and taken to a doctor and given an excuse slip.

As for Village Security, it got all the more stricter. Even the Village Barrier changed.

Did it have to take the mistreatment of the Yondaime's Legacy to make all this possible?

But for now, as he's the Head of his Clan...he has(shudder) responsibilities he must do.

One: he's his brother's legal guardian and Sasuke is his heir.

Two: he needs to...get married and pop out the next generation.

Three: ensure the mistakes of his family will not repeat. Ever.

Three things to do but three difficult things.

He sighed in exhausted resignation.

xxx

Market Price Standards:

Bottled Condiments such as soy sauce, miso paste(put in jars), vinegar, mirin, cooking sake are always below 300 ryo. Refill packs are 198 ryo.

Sauces put on food are typically over 300 but never going beyond 350. Mayonnaise 200.

Salt, sesame seeds, and sugar are super cheap, along with powder flavorings. Seaweed is extremely cheap. 90 yen a pack.

This is if you live solo that an 8 oz bottle is sufficient for your use every two weeks. But if your family is big, understandably the bigger the bottle the pricier.

Fish price depends if its fillet or as a steak. Fish steaks in a pack of three is 950 ryo, half-price happens at night. Fish fillets are 700-below depending on the specie.

A pack of large prawns are 1300 but can go upper due to size or specie. Shrimp is 500 ryo.

Shellfish vary but only the rich can afford the 'big ones'.

Meat is always sold in 100g packs and price is determined by these packs.

Curry Roux depends on who manufactured it. As low as 88 to over 250 ryo a pack.

Tea depends on the quality. It can go as low as 120 ryo...to a 700 ryo one for a supply of tea powder.

Rice is always sold in 10kg packs. 3000 ryo a pack.

Packaged vegetables can go as low as 198 to 300...depends on how much is stuffed in a pack or how its cut.

Eggs are 100 ryo a pack of ten. 120 a dozen.

For one Uzumaki Naruko, her groceries are always below 10000 ryo if she can help it. Because there's rent to consider back then but now she has no rent so all she has to consider is her gas supply, and miscellaneous expenses such as clothes, toiletry, etc.

As for her meals, well...being a true blue cheapskate...she only eats rice for breakfast as Tamago Kake Gohan, or Onigiri flavored with finely minced ingredients, a sheet of nori and topped with aonori. Lunch and dinner would always be vegetables and mushrooms, and a piece of fish or few pieces of shellfish with miso soup. And all dishes are often in hotpots or simmered as she has no patience for grilling or frying. That was it. Groceries really last her a good long while as a result while keeping her stomach full but while she's checking out her new home...

...she got a visitor.


	3. The Academy

That, and at lunch time, they clearly know each other since they were chatting amiably?!

'So what did your cheapskate mind come up with this time?'

'Oh, a lot! That river near my house is a treasure trove of fish I can make a lot for tonight too!'

'Oh really? But don't you still have that supply from last year?'

'I do but I'm saving them for just in cases. Oh yeah, Itachi-san said that I should come over tonight for some reason...'

'Oh, that? He says he's going out on many S-Ranks so I shouldn't be alone in the house. I guess he asked you to keep me company until he gets back.'

'Oh, OK.'

While they were talking, the other girls seethed.

'Who IS she?!'

'Why is she overly familiar with Sasuke-kun?!'

'He's talking to her, why not me?!'

'What does she have that I don't?!'

Were such thoughts. However, they cannot act on being 'offended' that the school hottie paid attention to the new girl and didn't even look at them because discipline in school was strict. Any misdemeanor warranted a 'chat' with the Disciplinarian!

The only way to make Sasuke notice them, is through their schoolwork!

Too bad for these girls that these two...were ANBU-trained...while everyone else was just starting out the basics.

Naruko and Sasuke are already physically drilled and grilled, and knowing the basic punches and kicks, as well as knowing chakra training...and the many releases they could study.

Sasuke chose the family arts, and Naruko chose Yin-Yang release out of interest because of being able to create something from nothing...in other words, bringing imagination to life. She found it interesting.

The weeks...months...went by.

While Sasuke and Naruko are physically ahead along with chakra, they were the same with their peers at everything else, forcing them to work harder alongside their classmates.

However, being physically-trained by ANBU instead of school standards wherein during 'Civilian Academics' had arduous P.E...got them ahead in class.

Stick-and-Staff.

Tactics.

Geography.

Espionage.

Disguise and Impersonation.

Concealment and Escape.

Pyrotechnics.

Shurikenjutsu.

Chakra Training.

Academy Ninjutsu.

Anti-Genjutsu Training.

Taijutsu.

Tools and Tools Usage.

Simulation Exercises.

Combat Exercises.

Teamwork.

Survival Training.

Medical Field Training.

All that, in two years flat...along with a special but DREADED course...

And now, Final Exams came...

The best students were selected based on the two year training results.

The Hokage looked at a sheepish Iruka. The man looked very sleepless. 'You look like you need coffee and sleep, Iruka-kun.'

'Since we changed the curriculum and fixed the Academy, it got real hard to put who with who in a three-man team I really haven't gotten much sleep...but it's for the best anyway since compared to my time in the Academy, the girls aren't as annoying when it comes to boys I just wish it happened sooner.' he said. 'Coulda spared my poor ears from their loud squealing.'

The Hokage snorted. 'This is this and that is that. But are these teams your final answer?' he asked, looking at the separate numbered folders containing information about its members.

'Hai.'

'Mm. I'll look into it as well before Monday begins. You'd know by then if there are any changes.'

'Hai. Well then...' the man fell backwards...snoring.

'...somebody take him home. He really lost sleep just forming teams. Yare yare.'


End file.
